1. Leopardstown
Racecourse
NOEL MEADE - A PROFILE
Address: Tu Va Stables, Castletown, Co. Meath
Principal Jockeys: Paul Carberry, Nina Carberry, Davy
Condon
Notable Wins
WKD Hurdle (Monksland 2012), Paddy Power Chase (Cross Ap- Wild Passion 2004), Punchestown Champion Bumper (Mick
peal 2011), Munster National (Muirhead 2011), Powers Gold Cup The Man 2007, Leading Run 2006, Tiananmen Square 1992),
(Realt Dubh 2011, Aran Concerto 2009, Thari 2003), Irish Arkle Christmas Hurdle (Jazz Messenger 2006), Barry & Sandra Kelly
(Realt Dubh 2011, Frozen Groom 2000), Bord Na Mona Novice Memorial Novice Hurdle (Aran Concerto 2006), Dunboyne Castle
Chase (Realt Dubh 2010), Lexus Chase (Pandorama 2010, Johnny Hotel & Spa Champion Novice Hurdle (Nicanor 2006), Royal
Setaside 1996), Knight Frank Novice Chase (Pandorama 2009, & SunAlliance Novices’ Hurdle (Nicanor 2006), Galway Hurdle
Casey Jones 2008), Future Champions Novice Hurdle (Hollo La- (More Rainbows 2005, Pinch Hitter 1983 + 1982), Bula Hurdle
dies 2009), Christmas Hurdle (Go Native 2009, Harchibald 2008 + (Harchibald 2005), Dr. P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase (Harbour Pilot
2004, Jazz Messenger 2006), Drinmore Novice Chase (Pandorama 2002), BMW Chase (Strong Run 2002), Irish Grand National (The
2009, Watson Lake 2004, Harbour Pilot 2002, Johnny Setaside Bunny Boiler 2002), Swordlestown Cup (Syndneytwothousand
1995), Fighting Fifth Hurdle (Go Native 2009, Harchibald 2007 + 1999), Troytown Chase (Heist 1997), AIG Europe Champion
2004), Supreme Novices’ Hurdle (Go Native 2009, Sausalito Bay Hurdle (Cockney Lad 1997), Pierse Hurdle (Glencloud 1993),
2000), Deloitte Novice Hurdle (Pandorama 2009, Aran Concerto December Festival Hurdle (Novello Allegro 1992), Greenlands
2007, Mr Nosie 2006, Native Estates 1998), vcbet.com Champion Stakes (Street Rebel 1992), McDonogh Handicap (Dromod Hill
Novice Hurdle (Jered 2008, Iktitaf 2006, Wild Passion 2005, Scot- 1987, Pinch Hitter 1982 + 1981), Phoenix Sprint Stakes (Rangoon
tish Memories 2002, Cardinal Hill 1999), Hatton’s Grace Hurdle Ruby 1985), Irish Cambridgeshire (National Form 1985), Cork
(Aitmatov 2007), Maplewood Developments Hurdle (Jazz Mes- And Orrery Stakes (Sweet Mint 1978)
senger 2007, Iktitaf 2006, Harchibald 2004, Cockney Lad 1997 +
1996), Royal Bond Novice Hurdle (Muirhead 2007, Iktitaf 2005,

2. Leopardstown
Racecourse
• Ta Vu Stables - Aerial View
to Noel, this was unquestionably the low point of his training career:
“The loss of Cardinal Hill was particularly hard to take. People say
that its all part of the game and that is true to an extent, but that
particular horse was very close to my heart and his death had a big
impact on me. Those were tough times and hopefully we won’t have
to endure another loss like it.”
Hitting The Heights
The new millennium brought further success to the Meade yard,
both in numerical terms and big race wins. The Paul Carberry-
ridden Harbour Pilot gained impressive wins in the Drinmore
Novice Chase and the P.J. Moriarty Novice Chase during the 2001/2
season before going on to finish third in two Cheltenham Gold Cups
in later years. It was also during 2002 season that The Bunny Boiler
Noel Meade is a name that is synonymous with success in Irish completed a remarkable double when winning the Midlands Grand
racing. He has been crowned Champion Trainer in Ireland on no National and the Irish Grand National in the space of just over a
less than eight occasions and, with the help of his 25-strong team fortnight. Meade’s good fortune during 2002 continued when he
of staff, his horses have consistently gained success at the highest completed a big race double at the Punchestown Festival with Scot-
level for many years. However, success in the racing game has tish Memories winning the Champion Novice Hurdle and Strong
been hard earned for Noel Meade over a period of over 40 years. Run the BMW Champion Chase on the same day.
Early Days The 2004/5 season saw the emergence of Harchibald as one of the
Meade began his training career back in 1971 with just one dual most talked about National Hunt horses of the last decade.
purpose horse to his name that he rode out himself. When asked Ultra-smooth wins in the Morgiana Hurdle in Punchestown, the
whether he had ambitions of one day being a Champion Trainer Fighting Fifth Hurdle in Newcastle and the Christmas Hurdle in
when he started out all those years ago, Meade reveals that he Kempton prompted many bookmakers to install him as favourite for
had much more modest aims: “Back in those days it was a case of the Champion Hurdle. However, disaster struck just 10 days before
doing it out of a love for the game. It was just me and a friend that the race when he disappointed in a key racecourse gallop, fueling
owned the horses and the whole thing slowly gathered pace with speculation that he would not even run, never mind win at
more and more horses coming into the yard from outside owners. I Cheltenham. But run he did and having landed over the last hurdle
was quite lucky in the early years in that we got a few decent still on the bridle, he was dramatically out-battled by the immensely
horses on the Flat that got the show on the road.” Meade is tough Hardy Eustace in the closing strides. Both horse and jockey
adamant that it was the win of Sweet Mint in the 1978 Cork & came in for criticism in the press at the time, but the fact that
Orrery (now known as the Golden Jubilee Stakes) at Royal Ascot Harchibald never quite recaptured the same level of form after that
that launched him on the national and indeed, international train- day at Cheltenham reinforces the notion Carberry’s ride on the day
ing stage. was of the highest class.
He continued to ply his trade with great success under both codes The Cheltenham Festival holds a special place in every National
until the early 1990’s when he decided to concentrate primarily on Hunt trainer’s heart and Noel Meade is no different. He reached a
the National Hunt side of the game, thus beginning his relentless significant milestone in the year 2000 when Sausalito Bay won the
rise to the top of the jumping division. He wasted no time in Supreme Novice Hurdle (beating no less than Best Mate), thus giv-
making his presence felt at the highest level with the talented ing him a belated first winner at the Festival. However the
iananmen Square gaining compensation for his defeat in the meeting that has become the focus of the National Hunt season has
Cheltenham Champion Bumper in 1992 with a win in the not always proved to be a happy hunting ground for Meade. He
Punchestown Festival equivalent. Unfortunately that particular has had numerous near misses and disappointments there over the
horse never reached the heights he had promised to over hurdles years, but thankfully the balance he started to be redressed in more
due to persistent injury problems, but he played his part in further recent seasons with Nicanor and Go Native winning Grade 1 novice
raising the profile of the Meade yard. hurdles at the meeting.
It was in the mid-90’s that Meade began his formidable and last- Flat Success
ing partnership with Paul Carberry and the pair gained a notable The fact that he is primarily a National Hunt trainer has not stopped
success with Johnny Setaside in the 1995 renewal of the Drinmore Noel Meade gaining a number of notable successes on the Flat in
Novice Chase. That horse went on to win in Eriksson Chase under recent seasons. It is quite remarkable how often Meade improves a
Richard Dunwoody in 1996 only to tragically collapse and die seemingly middle of the road handicapper into a pattern race winner.
after the race. Some compensation was gained for the Meade yard Sugarhoneybaby is perhaps the best recent example of this having
following that loss when, three weeks later, Cockney Lad caused a won her first handicap off a mark of 69 only to win three further
shock in the AIG Champion Hurdle under Richard Hughes. races with the last of them coming in the listed Knockaire Stakes.
Arch Rebel is another that has improved from an 87-rated
handicapper into a winner of four listed races on the Flat in recent
A Tough Loss seasons.
The JP McManus owned Cardinal Hill was unquestionably one of
the most talented horses that Meade has ever had in his care and he
got the collective pulses of racing world thumping during his short
career. He looked destined for the top having impressively won
the Champion Novice Hurdle at Punchestown in 1999 only to be
struck down by a fatal case of colic later that very year. According

3. Leopardstown
Racecourse
• Harchibald - At Leopardstown (2005)
• Muirhead
• Ernie - inspecting the morning work at Ta Vu
To The Future
While Noel Meade has achieved more than most trainers would dare to dream of
during his career, a number of high-profile races remain absent from his CV, most
notably the Cheltenham Gold Cup, the Champion Hurdle and the Aintree Grand
National. “The Aintree Grand National is a fantastic spectacle and while I would
be delighted to win it, I would much rather win a Gold Cup or a Champion Hurdle.
Maybe the fact that we have gone close to winning both of those races in recent years
has made us all the keener to win them, but they would certainly be at the top of the
list.”
Despite having to endure injuries and loss of top horses such as Aran Concerto, Go
Native and Pandorama in recent seasons, Meade looks to have his most promising • Pandorama wins the Lexus Chase at The Leopardstown Christmas
group of young horses for quite a few years and with the likes of Sword Of Destiny, Festival in 2010
Monksland, Corbally Ghost, Texas Jack, Road To Riches and Ned Buntline to look
forward to, he looks sure to remain at the forefront of Irish National Hunt racing for
many years to come.
• Harbour Pilot
• An oil painting of Harchibald